Sodexo chef traveling for fall cuisine tour

October 8, 2012

Chef Saiket ‘Johny’ Patwary recently returned to Emporia State University from Helena, Mont., where he prepared Indian cuisine for students at Carroll College. The trip was part of the Sodexo Signature Chef Fall Tour 2012.

The executive chef at Emporia State University, Patwary has been a signature chef for Sodexo since 2009. Sodexo, Emporia State’s food service provider, selected Patwary as one of five signature chefs recognized for their culinary expertise in a specialty. The Signature Chef program provides an opportunity for Sodexo’s top chefs in the United States to travel to different regions and share authentic regional cuisines with local teams, students, faculty and staff. Patwary and the other four Signature Chefs will be traveling across the country through December.

A native of Bangladesh who was raised in Bahrain, Patwary graduated from Emporia State University with a computer science degree. During his undergraduate career, he was a dishwasher in the Sodexo dining hall. After graduation, he pursued a culinary arts degree and worked for Sodexo on other campuses before returning to his alma mater two years ago.

In his culinary career, Patwary has served notables including actor Ed Begley, Jr., singer Shania Twain and the Green Bay Packers professional football team. He has competed and won in various culinary competitions around the country including the California Date Competition, Las Vegas Odyssey, Kansas City BBQ Society and American Culinary Federation Competitions. He recently won an Asian cookbook recipe contest, which includes having his recipes published in an upcoming cookbook.

Emporia State University is a dynamic and progressive student-centered learning community that fosters student success through engagement in academic excellence, community and global involvement, and the pursuit of personal and professional fulfillment.